Alex Kottoor’s Post

Co-founders can be overrated. Do you really need a second set of hands on the steering wheel? Having a co-founder can bring a ton to the table, but it can also be a disaster of biblical proportions. Disagreements happen. Goals change. Business pivots. And everyone may not be up for it. But when things go south, they can really go south. Where I've seen it work? If you have clear alignment on core values.  My co-founder at my first SaaS startup and I were in lock step on our value system. We both invested the time. To take the necessary time to understand each other. Dig deep, ya'll. Its values, in my opinion, that will carry you through the inevitable tough times that litter the startup journey. And it will always go sideways..... And some shit you can never predict. But go in, with core values in alignment. Happy Tuesday, ya’ll.

We've all got those big ideas that could become the next big startup. But taking that first step? You might be thinking, "Where do I even start?". There's no perfect path. Every founder's journey is unique. What really matters is having the guts to start. As Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn's co-founder, put it: "If you are not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you’ve launched too late." Don't wait for everything to be perfect. Don't stress about getting all the details right. The magic happens when you take action and put your idea out there. ✅ Start talking to potential customers and partners. ✅ Build a simple MVP to test your ideas. ✅ Create a solid business plan and get support. It won't be easy. There will be setbacks and tough lessons. But that's how you learn and grow. Each failure gets you closer to finding the right product-market fit. The only way to succeed is to start.

There are no excuses to hold back on starting your startup today. The biggest fear holding aspiring founders back is the fear of failure, coupled with the worries of humiliation and shame. However, imagine a world where you're not afraid to fail. It begins with posting that first piece of content or uploading your first ad creative. Realising that failure won't end you is liberating. Survival comes with persistence. When you conquer the fear of failure, the world truly becomes your oyster. Don't let fear hold you back from starting something remarkable. #startupmotivation #unstoppable

Hey everyone! 🚀 I've been thinking a lot about what it takes to start a startup. And honestly? The hardest part is just taking that first step. I get it—it’s not easy. I remember how tough it was to deal with: 1. 💸 Feeling like there's never enough money. 2. 🤯 Getting stuck in my own head, overthinking every detail. 3. 📉 That constant fear of failure. But here's the thing: every big company you see today started small—often with more doubts than answers. My advice? Start simple, learn as you go, and don’t worry about being perfect. Just take that leap. You'll figure it out along the way. 🌱

The hustle is real As a founder, you're pulled in 100 directions. Fundraising, hiring, product-market fit , challenges , etc. But don't lose sight of the essentials. Here's what your early stage startup needs: 1. Concentrate on a single core problem and provide one solid solution 2. Resist doing 10 things poorly. This confuses clients and investors.  3. Become excellent at 1 thing first. Then layer on more offers.  4. Once you've nailed product-market fit, expand offerings.  5. Clarity is essential early on. Stick to your core mission. But at the start, do less better Hope this gives you a boost today ❤️ (Repost if you like it ♻️) P.S. Maybe something i missed? Do tell.

Couldn’t resist myself to share this headlines from The CapTable! It is very important that the business is given enough time to innovate, perform and build value for investors/shareholders. If the company is making run on a treadmill for user growth and then for profitability, it may miss out to build a good product for customers. Building a profitable business has many essential elements in it. Time is one of those essentials! It is definitely a patience test of founders, team members and shareholders to build value in long term. Not sure if all three of them are aware about this bitter truth of startup life!

Today I was asked: “Do you grow fast enough?” ”Fast enough for what?”, I replied. The question came from a friend on a completely different startup journey than us. → The VC journey I kind of get it - I think. You want to grow fast. You want things to happen. But from my point of view, it’s an exhausting, tiring, stressful journey to constantly focus on matters that have little to do with your mission or your product/service. Constantly chasing the next survival kit to keep the wheels turning. But back to the conversation. It ended with me saying: We’re bootstrapped. We are good now, we will be good tomorrow. And when new awesome people decide to become our clients, we’re waiting with open arms. And that felt kinda good.😇 What’s your view on bootstrapping vs. the VC journey?

If you’ve got multiple co-founders, Here’s the secret sauce to success. 🫢 No, it’s not more funding. It’s something way more fundamental. Let’s talk about Founder Agreements (aka the Pre-Nup of the startup world). 😉 I know, I know. It sounds tedious. But hear me out. Here’s my step-by-step guide for a foolproof Founder Agreement: 📍Define each co-founder's roles and responsibilities. 📍Set an equity split that reflects each person's contributions. 📍Establish a vesting schedule to incentivize long-term commitment. 📍Include decision-making protocols to avoid deadlock situations. 📍Plan for exits—because breakups happen, even in business. Most founders jump straight into the grind, Ignoring the legal foundation. But without this, you’re building a house on quicksand. A solid Founder Agreement protects your startup's vision, prevents internal drama, and keeps everyone aligned toward scaling. Remember that time you launched a group project and things got chaotic? Now, multiply that by a million Startups are even messier. The point is, don’t just dream big. Prepare big. Get your paperwork in order, so your only focus is growth. I am curious: How many co-founders does your startup have? Drop a comment below. P.S. If you’re still debating who gets what percentage, it’s time to have the hard conversation. Trust me.

Founders Stories: The Myth of Perfect Timing We’ve all heard it: “Timing is everything.” However, for many aspiring founders, this idea can become a roadblock. You wait for the market to be just right, your product flawless, and your personal life perfectly aligned. The truth? Perfect timing is a myth. Take Airbnb. Launched during a recession, it seemed like the worst possible time to start a business. But instead of waiting, the founders pushed forward, learned, adapted, and grew. Today, it’s a household name. 🏠 Or consider Slack. When Stewart Butterfield launched Slack, the market was already crowded with messaging tools, and many people questioned whether the world needed another one. But instead of hesitating, Butterfield and his team focused on building a product that solved real problems for users. They launched, iterated, and listened to feedback. Now, Slack is a go-to communication tool for teams worldwide. 💬 Successful founders know it’s not about timing; it’s about action. You can’t control every variable, but you can control when you start. Don’t wait for perfect conditions—start now, learn, and iterate along the way. 🚀 Ready to take that first step? Stop waiting for the perfect moment and start building your startup today. 💡 👉 Watch the video below, where I talk about our own journey with Claritiv and how we overcame the myth of perfect timing. Enjoy! #Entrepreneurship #StartupLife #Founders #Innovation #TakeAction #StartupJourney #BusinessGrowth #Claritiv

There are a million and one things that you need to do, need to get right as a startup founder. But in the last few months, I've also learned that along with everything you should do, there's also a whole lot that you shouldn't do: Starting with cofounder dynamics - Don't ignore those early cofounder red flags. If you're already bickering over the small stuff before you've even launched, it's time to reassess. Don't lie to yourself about how much you can handle. You're not superhuman, and pretending you are will only lead to burnout and mistakes. And most importantly - Don't wait to launch your MVP! Perfection is the enemy of progress. Get that product out there so that you can get user feedback faster. Remember, as a first-time founder, you're going to screw up. It's inevitable. But checking in with yourself and your team will definitely make things easier. #FounderTips #StartupMistakes #CofounderDynamics #MVPLaunch #StartupLife